Holiness by Allan K. of Zambia
Holiness
The subject of Holiness is one that for far too long we leaders have struggled with. And questions rage ‘Who is Holy enough to talk about Holiness’, In the World so tainted with so much sin ‘Why must we talk about holiness, Is it not a waste of time?’ The relevance of the subject of Christian holiness must come to us a lot more because:
a. The God who calls us declares ‘Be Holy for I your Lord I am holy” – Lev 11: Our days have changed but God remains the same. These words are cited by Peter, 1:15-16
b. The Lord Jesus told his disciples ‘Though you are in this world, you are not of this world’ – John 17:16, Paul bluntly says don’t conform to the patterns of this world any longer – Rom 12:2
It is true that we continue to live in a polluted world and we ourselves are prone. Hence, must strive to remind ourselves of Christian holiness. Exodus 13 is about Yahweh giving a standard for his people as they move from captivity into the Promised Land. The new land meant a new way of life with new standards. It’s the same thing, when you become a Christian, you certainly must adopt Christian standards. Moses reminds the Israelites of the consecration of the first born and the feast of the unleavened bread. These rituals were a reminder of God’s redemption from captivity. They were to be a means to commemorate Yahweh’s deliverance- V 3. From verse 1-7 a guide is given the consecration of the first born and the feat of the unleavened bread, v 8-10 – the reason the commemoration is given and later the v 11-16
Moses spells out the practical aspects of the consecration. Let’s consider:
1. The meaning of Christian Holiness. In the NIV exhaustive concordance, the Word ‘Holy” with its various derivative appears 584 times in the O.T and N.T. It’s derived from the
a word with several meanings – To shine, To cut off (To separate or set apart). Lev 20:26 –You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples,
that you should be mine. In our text with the two rituals of the Consecration of the first born and the commemoration of the feast of the unleavened bread the idea ‘Setting apart for distinction’
stands out. The People of God are expected to be distinct compared to foreigners they will find who had occupied the promised land as listed in verse – 5. Even their bread was to be distinct from the common – 7. Even when God gives direct injunctions in Leviticus. It’s in wanting his people to take a distinct disposition that will help other nations to want to know Yahweh. When Jesus says ‘though you are in this world you are not of this world. All he is saying ‘Be different’. Christian holiness means we live with Christian values. The world cannot be our pattern of what we do as the church.
2. The Reason for Christian Holiness v 8- 10 The reason for Christian holiness consists in the work of God and what he has done in our lives. He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. He delivered Israel from captivity in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. And verse 8 -10 clearly points out that aspect. And this ordinance was to remind them of the new life that they have in the Promised Land. It is therefore expected of us to be Holy because God is Holy. The reason for Christian Holiness is God. Our failure then means we degrade Yahweh, we dishonor him
3. The Exercise of Christian Holiness – v 14-16 we learn something of what is required of the Jews to respond to their deliverance. They needed not forget what Yahweh had done hence the consecration of the first born of the sons and their animals was to be that constant reminder. This was to be their way of life. And the Bible spells out the cost, the sacrifice of the first born as a constant reminder of the Passover. The Lord Jesus came to the cross as the true first born of God so we could be redeemed to holiness. The Exercise of Christian holiness therefore must be a way of life out of sacrifice unto the Lord. The Bible calls us to live as strangers here on earth- 1 Peter 2:11-12.
Prayer: As a Christian leader, Lord, make my heart pure and help me to serve you with Holiness.